Youths vital to sustainable wildlife conservation

Environmental and wildlife authorities in the country have been urged to come up with inclusive programmes that will ensure youths assume proactive roles to safeguard the wildlife resource base.

Improving on wildlife conservation presents a future not only for Zimbabwe but for Africa as this sector can be effectively utilised as a blueprint to sustain livelihoods.

Within the last two years Zimbabwe has witnessed a massive rise of its elephant population in the Hwange National Park which has exerted pressure on available space as people and wildlife compete for the limited habitat.

Due to this challenge, a large population of elephants and several other species have been lost raising concern from relevant authorities on the need to improve wildlife conservation techniques to safeguard gains achieved under the highly successful Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE).

African Wildlife Foundation president Mr Kaddu Sebunya said one of the immediate solutions to addressing this problem is an active youth base that will save and protect this rich heritage for Africa.

Across Zimbabwe’s borders, youths are already engaged in various programmes which their local counterparts can emulate as part of socio-economic development initiatives.

Wildlife management is at the core of discussions at various forums across the continent and are especially relevant for Zimbabwe which is burdened with the problem of poaching that has claimed the lives of many elephants due to cyanide poisoning caused by poachers.